|
Tin
Can Lanterns
Hot weather
calls for cool crafts and these tin can lanterns are the perfect
project. From the ice you’ll use to stabilize the cans for
punching out your patterns to the glow the lanterns will cast at
your next outdoor shindig, this project is cool in every sense of
the word.
Supplies:
- Empty tin
cans of various sizes (not the plastic-lined kind)
- Can
Opener
- Water
- Freezer
- Crayon or
Sharpie
- Hammer
- Nails of
various sizes
- Candles of
various size
-
First things
first - cut the top all the way off the can using the can opener.
-
Wash the
can thoroughly to remove the label and any food residue. You’re
going for funky as in nifty, not funky as in smelly. Be careful
with any sharp points you can opener may have left around the
rim.
-
Now for
the cool part - fill the can with water and put it in the freezer
over night or until the water is frozen solid.
-
OK, you’ve
waited out the freezing, now it’s time to get to work.
And time is of the essence, ‘cause you don’t want
to let the ice melt! Take the can out of the freezer and use
the crayon or Sharpie to map out your design using dots. We
used flower patterns, Celtic designs, and even fashioned a tribute
to Pac-Man. Try to center the mid-point of your design between
the top and bottom of the can. The dots you draw will become
holes where the candlelight will shine through, so try not to
plan too few or too many.
-
Position
a nail on a point in your pattern, grab the hammer, and pound
out a hole. Experiment with using different sized nails —
you can create interesting effects in this way.
-
Continue
the hammering process until you’ve poked holes in each
spot, and then put the can in the sink to thaw.
-
Once the
ice is gone and the can is dry, you’re ready to add a candle.
Candle choice depends on can size. A little 8 oz fruit can might
do well with a tea candle, and you could probably put a short
pillar or taper in a big juice can. We found that tea candles
worked well in most standard vegetable cans. Experiment a little.
If the candle won’t stand on its own, or if you don’t
want wax build up in the bottom of your lantern, you’ll
want to use a small candleholder.
-
Now all
that’s left is to scatter your lanterns around the porch
or patio and to enjoy their twinkling lights on a warm summer
evening.
|
|
